So was Episode III.
I totally agree Ben, I FINALLY got to see this film (pay-per-view hotel service) and even though I enjoyed it and everything (especially the last half hour or so) there were huge, huge screw-ups. These are my impressions (good and bad) of the movie: (*spoilers, of course*
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1.) Natalie Portman: I think she's an awesome actress, very intelligent girl. Unfortunately Lucas must either not be very good directing women and/or HE CANNOT WRITE a love scene. No doubt both. The whole time she sounded like she was reading off a script or cue cards, and basically had no clue what her character was even feeling. (once again Lucas' fault).
Lawrence Kasdan could have saved this script, which had several parts that (forgive me) made me laugh out loud. (like Amidala bursting into tears, good Lord....) The stuff in Episode II between Amidala and Anakin I could kind of accept, but....I've never seen romance bungled so badly in ANY film.
Plus how in the world could Amidala, who was a QUEEN in Episode I for crying out loud (I really liked her then) go from a dignified intelligent young girl to a ditzy housewife who apparently has no idea that her husband is a psycho in the making? Then she can't believe it when Obi-Wan tells her that Anakin was "killing younglings" when Anakin TOLD her in episode II that he killed an entire village of Sand People. Remember: "I killed the women, I killed the children...." and back then she didn't blink an eye. Talk about your double standards....
2.) I thought Ewan McGregor totally steals this film. He's charming, he's fun, he's exciting, he's INTERESTING. Dammit, why couldn't HE star in this film? I'm kind of hoping Lucas follows this up with "The continuing adventures of Obi-Wan" or something like that, showing what happened between Sith and A New Hope, like how does Obi-Wan get so old so fast?? Plus didn't Yoda say something at the end about Obi communing with Qui-Gon again?
3.) I liked Yoda here, but once again I prefer the puppet. That's just me. More Yoda fighting scenes...I was indifferent. I always thought the cool thing about Yoda was not how he LOOKED but the wisdom he carries inside him, his humor and strength. (not physical.) Once again Lucas could have used another scriptwriter...And is it just me, or does Yoda sound like he has a sore throat in Ep I, II and III, thus making him seem LESS lively and young then in the "later" episodes? (probably 'cause Frank Oz is older now)
Plus what was with that whole thing about Yoda meeting Chewbacca and then not seeing anything that happened between them?? That must have been a deleted scene or something, which will no doubt be on the DVD. Still it kind of felt "stuck in" there not for story integrity but more for: "Oh, look, Yoda's hanging out with Chewbacca."
4.) After Anakin told Mace Windu that Palpatine was the Sith Lord, why was Mace THE ONLY ONE who showed up to arrest Palpatine, thus making it that much easier for Anakin/Palpatine to kill Mace? Why didn't they send in more Jedi? (I did like the part when Palpatine was being electrocuted and getting more Emperor-like, that was cool)
5.) Ian McDirmid did a great job. Especially the one very well-directed scene where he's "convincing" Anakin to go over to the dark side.
6.) REALLY liked the final fight with Obi-Wan and Anakin...violent!
7.)...and the scene where he's put in the suit, becoming Vadar, and you can see how he's "trapped" in the Vadar suit just as he's trapped as the Emperor's lacky.
8.) Overall, however, other than some exciting scenes, gold nuggets of good acting and some AMAZING shots (like the final shot on Tatooine with the sun setting, echoing New Hope) this film did not, in my mind, really answer the question of how Anakin went from good to evil. Lucas tries to make it overly obvious, showing us that: "Oh, he just didn't want Padme to die..." but that doesn't do it for me. I think that's mostly because I never really understood much about the "good" Anakin to begin with. Episode I and II were supposed to be "leading up to" III but neither film gave us much insight on exactly who Anakin was and what he really felt about things. (and his appearance as a little boy in Episode I IS important, that's our first impression of him, and I don't buy the excuse that "It's only the first of a series.") It's lazy writing and confused directing. Lucas has good ideas, but he needs people--directors, writers--to help channel those ideas, so they will actually resonate with the audience AFTER they've seen the film. (the way the old films did.) In no way did I feel this was equal to Empire, A New Hope or even Jedi. What can I say....it's Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. It is what it is.
You can’t just have your characters announce how they feel! That makes me feel angry!
